2009 James Blaut Award
The Socialist and Critical Geography Specialty Group would like to congratulate Dr. Rich Heyman for being awarded the 2009 James Blaut Award. While all candidates were of the highest quality, Dr. Heyman particularly exemplifies the ideals held by James Blaut, and is most deserving of this honor. He has consistently taken radical positions toward academia, toward community, and toward socialist/critical research. Dr. Heyman has actively engaged unions, gaining support for 80% of the University of Washington's TA's during his time there and establishing affiliation with the United Auto Workers. Since 2007, Rich has been a member of an interdisciplinary Academic Advisory Committee (AAC) working in conjunction with the Workers Defense Project (PDL) on a comprehensive study of working conditions in the construction industry in Austin, carried out by a team composed of PDL members and staff and University of Texas students, both graduate and undergraduate.
Rich Heyman continues James Blaut's tradition of radical thought within academia by working toward abolishing forms of academic hierarchy that tend to subordinate non-tenured faculty. Blaut's example continues through Heyman's commitment to radical pedagogy, activism, and intellectually critical work.
The 4th Annual James Blaut Memorial Lecture occasioned the award. This lecture was held Tuesday, 3/24/09, from 5:20-7:00 in the Royale Pavilion 5, Riviera Hotel, 1st Floor at the Annual Meeting of the AAG in Las Vegas.
2009 Call for Nominations (deadline passed)
The Socialist and Critical Geography Specialty Group is pleased to accept nominations for the 4th annual James Blaut Award and Memorial Lecture.
James Blaut's passing in 2000 was a terrible loss to the academy and liberation struggles around the world. A radical geographer, Jim worked indefatigably on issues of social justice and inequality; enhanced our understanding of racism, imperialism, and Eurocentrism; and contributed directly to the advancement of socialist and anti-colonial struggles. With the co-sponsorship of Antipode, the Socialist and Critical Geography Specialty Group (SCGSG) of the Association of American Geographers (AAG) will present the fourth annual James Blaut Award and Memorial Lecture at the 2009 AAG Annual Meeting. To honor Jim Blaut's efforts, the award will recognize a scholar who, over the course of her/his life, has (1) used a geographic and historical analysis of capitalism to explain current social injustices and inequalities; (2) promoted activism against oppressive power relations both within and outside the academy; and (3) bridged socialist theory and practice. The recipient will be expected to deliver the James Blaut Memorial Lecture at the 2009 AAG Annual Meeting held March 22-27 in Los Vegas, NV, USA.
Nominations should include the nominee's curriculum vitae and two letters of recommendation, one from an academic and one from an activist working outside the academy. The recommendation letters must speak to the scholarly and wider social value of the nominee's work. The award, along with a US $500 honorarium will be presented at the James Blaut Memorial Lecture and will be announced at the Awards Luncheon during the 2009 AAG Annual Meeting. The award is presented annually.
The deadline for nominations for the James Blaut Award by January 15, 2009. Email submissions are accepted. Please forward nominations to Eliot Tretter, the SCGSG Awards Committee Chair, or Lawrence Berg.